The cold weather is expected to persist this week. Photo: Xiaomei Chen
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https://scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3203727/hong-kong-records-lowest-overall-temperature-year-94-degrees-celsius-observatory-warns-strong-winds Health & Environment
Hong Kong Observatory issues frost warning and cold weather alert as city records lowest overall temperature of 9.4 degrees Celsius this year
- Conditions set to persist amid winter monsoon, but daytime temperatures may rise slightly midweek
- Certain areas outside city centre log even lower marks, with Tsuen Wan dropping to 7.4 degrees and Tai Mo Shan registering 0.2 degrees
A swimmer at the Hung Hom waterfront despite the cold weather. Photo: Elson Li
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The Hong Kong Observatory issued a frost warning along with a cold weather alert on Sunday as the city recorded its lowest overall temperature so far for the year at 9.4 degrees Celsius (48.9 Fahrenheit) in the morning.
The forecaster warned ground frost was likely to occur early on Monday morning on high ground or in the northern part of the New Territories.
It predicted the weather would remain cold on Monday and Tuesday morning.
A winter monsoon is expected to bring cold and very dry weather to the city and Guangdong province, according to the Observatory. Daytime temperatures will rise slightly in the following couple of days, but mornings and nights will remain rather cool.
The Observatory issued a strong monsoon signal at 4.20pm on Friday which remained in force until 2.40pm on Sunday.
The signal is issued when winds associated with the winter monsoon are blowing in excess of or are expected to exceed 40km/h (24mph) near sea level anywhere in the city.
Winter monsoon normally blows from the north or from the east. In very exposed places, monsoon winds may exceed 70km/h (43mph).
From 3.30am to 4.30am on Sunday, Cheung Chau logged the highest sustained wind at 58km/h (36mph).
The wind speed is similar to the tropical cyclone warning signal 3 where its wind speed ranges from 41km/h to 62km/h (25mph to 38mph).
The temperature is expected to be appreciably lower in the New Territories.
By 4.30pm on Sunday, more than 20 districts in Hong Kong recorded minimum temperatures lower than the forecaster’s record. Clear Water Bay, Kwun Tong, Pak Tam Chung and Tsuen Wan logged lows of 7.4 degrees.
Other notable areas that dropped below 9.4 degrees in the same period included Tai Mo Shan, which recorded 0.2 degrees, Ngong Ping logged 3.9 degrees and the Peak at 5.7 degrees.